With the hustle and bustle of daily life, it can be hard to find true peace and quiet. Studying and working at home can be difficult with interruptions and distractions such as the dreaded TV!
Pearse Street Library has the perfect solution; their lovely big Reading Room is located upstairs on the first floor, accessible by lift and stairs.
Bring your Dublin City library card and some photo ID on your first visit to register for a special Reading Room access card. On each visit you must sign in and the librarian will temporarily assign you to one of the numbered study desks of which there are 24 in total.
Some house rules apply, phones are to be kept on silent, no food or drink and specifically no pens or highlighters are permitted. Pencils only!
There is a sunny Reader’s Café and toilets on the same floor if you are there for the long haul. The room is bright and spacious, with fresh air coming in the large windows to help keep you focused, headphones are permitted and public Wi-Fi is available. As a cheerful diversion, you may occasionally hear the collective roar of a passing Viking Splash tour bus!
The room provides not only a quiet space for students and readers but is ideal for small business owners, freelance writers, or anyone looking for a calm and free working environment that differentiates between home and work.
A librarian is posted at the front desk and can assist with any research based or more complicated requests, beyond, “Where should I sit?” There is a collection of archives and research facilities available, which the library staff can guide you though.
The studious atmosphere naturally inspires a desire to read, write or even just sit and think, with the slight annoyance of chairs dragging on the wooden floor as people move about – this is where your headphones might come in handy!
Finally, good news or bad news, you decide, but the Lido chipper is located just outside for a sneaky bag of chips after your hard-working library session.
Library and Reading Room opening hours: Monday to Thursday 10am to 8pm; Friday to Saturday 10am to 5pm; closed on Sunday.
Reader’s Café opening hours: Monday to Thursday 10am to 4.30pm; Friday 10am to 4pm; Saturday 10am to 3pm; closed on Sunday.
By Caoimhe Fox
